1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to front entry bathtubs, and more particularly to an improved entry door for a bathtub and an incorporated chair transfer apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Front entry bathtubs are generally used for bathing persons who are not physically capable of entering and exiting a standard bathtub. These tubs include a door opening formed in a tub wall through which the person may enter the tub without climbing over the wall. The tub must also include a door panel for closing and sealing the door opening so that bath water will not leak out of the tub. The door panel is typically larger than the associated door opening in the tub wall and is designed to seal against an inner surface of the tub wall so that water pressure inside the tub acts to seal the door rather than acting against the seal. The door panel, however, must be swung outwardly through the door opening to permit a person to easily enter and exit the tub. This presents a design difficulty because it requires the door panel to swing through a door opening that is smaller than the door panel itself.
One door mechanism for a front entry bathtub is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,400 to Adrian R. Sween, which is entitled Apparatus for Containing a Liquid. The door panel of the Sween ""400 tub is mounted on a parallelogram linkage which allows it to be moved vertically relative to the tub. A first end of the parallelogram linkage is pivotally attached to the tub adjacent to the door opening so that the door panel may be swung outwardly. A second end of the parallelogram linkage is pivotally attached to the door panel so that the door panel may be canted at an angle as it is pulled through the door opening.
The present invention comprises a bathing apparatus which includes a bathtub having a wall with a door opening formed therethrough. The door opening has an upper dimension along the top edge of the wall and a lower dimension spaced downwardly from the top edge of the wall, the lower dimension being smaller than the upper dimension. A door panel sized and shaped to conform to the door opening is moveably connected to the bathtub by a hinge mechanism. The door panel has a sealing flange extending outwardly therefrom for engaging with a portion of the inner surface of the wall adjacent the door opening. The hinge mechanism includes a substantially horizontal bar having a first end pivotally connected to the wall adjacent to the door opening and a substantially vertical slide rail secured to the bar. One or more slide brackets are secured to the door panel and slidably mounted on the slide rail. The door panel is thus vertically moveable by sliding the slide brackets along the slide rail and moveable toward and away from the tub wall by pivoting the bar about its mounting point. The hinge mechanism may further include a gas strut which assists in lifting the door panel by urging it into an upward position and a door latch which selectively holds the door panel in a lowered or closed position.
The bathing apparatus further includes a chair transport apparatus including a chair with a seat portion that is removably attached to a base portion. The bathtub includes a pair of tub rails which slidably receive the seat portion of the chair when it is released from the base portion. The chair includes a pair of armrests, one of which is attached to the chair portion and one of which is attached to the base portion.